Soft Glow Node

Soft Glow works on the same principle as Glow (blur → amplification → mix), but with extra gamma processing that gives softer, more naturalistic halos. It has fewer options than Glow (no Apply Modes, fewer filters), but the result is usable straight away without heavy tweaking.

The official documentation recommends it for three typical uses: skin (skin tone), planetary atmospheres / haze, and dreamlike environments.

• Effects Library: Tools > Blur > Soft Glow
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > Blur > Soft Glow

• Input (orange) - required. The source 2D image.
• Effect Mask (blue) - optional. A mask applied after processing.
• Glow Mask (white) - optional. A mask applied before: only the pixels inside the mask contribute to the glow, but the resulting halo can spill over. Works the same way as on Glow.

MediaIn → Soft Glow → Merge 2D → Saver

For a Soft Glow targeted on a face: a painted polygon mask → connected to the Glow Mask so the halo radiates naturally beyond the face without being cut off at the edge.

Filter (default: Gaussian)

Blur algorithm:

• Box - fast, basic quality.
• Bartlett - softer.
• Multi-box - a compromise.
• Gaussian (default) - maximum quality, the softest result.

Fewer options than on Glow (no Fast Gaussian, no Hilight/Solarize).

Threshold

Limits the effect to pixels above a certain brightness. High = only the highlights radiate. Low = glow everywhere (a very soft effect, like a diffusion filter).

Gain

Brightness of the halo. The equivalent of Glow on the Glow node. Raise it for a more intense halo, lower it for a subtle effect.

Glow Size

Size of the halo. Low = a tight halo close to the highlights. High = a very wide wash of light.

Blend

Mix between the original image and the glowing image. 0% = original, 100% = full effect.

Lock X/Y

Links the horizontal/vertical axes. Uncheck it for an anisotropic glow.

Color Channels (R / G / B / A)

Turns the glow on or off per channel. Unchecking Alpha keeps the alpha intact.

Clipping Mode

Frame / Domain / None (standard).

Soft Glow

• Gamma-correct processing
• Softer, more naturalistic result
• Fewer filters (4 instead of 8)
• No Apply Modes
• Simpler, a result you can use right away

Ideal for: skin, atmosphere, dream look.

Glow

• More filters (8, including Hilight, Solarize)
• Apply Modes (Normal / Merge Under / Threshold)
• Per-channel Color Scale
• More control, harder to calibrate

Ideal for: neon lights, lens flares, bold effects.

Rule: reach for Soft Glow first when you want a "pretty", natural halo. Glow when you want a more controlled, stylized effect.

• Skin beautification - a discreet Soft Glow on a portrait softens the skin and adds a flattering glow. Medium Threshold, moderate Gain.
• Planetary atmosphere - on a space shot with a planet, Soft Glow on the planet creates the typical atmospheric halo.
• Dreamy / memory look - strong Soft Glow + low Threshold = the whole shot becomes diffuse and hazy. Ideal for a flashback or a dream sequence.
• Cinematic skin tone - a very subtle Soft Glow (Gain 10-20%, Blend 50%) on face shots = a flattering look without losing detail.
• Softening a digital image - to soften the "digital" feel of a 4K shot that looks too clinical.
• Halo around the sun - very high Threshold + moderate Gain = a halo only around the brightest pixels in the sky.

• Start very subtle - Soft Glow is so soft that you tend to push it too far. Gain 10-20% and Blend 50% = already a pro effect. The eye gets used to it quickly.
• High Threshold = more natural - a glow that covers the whole image looks dirty. A Threshold around 0.6-0.8 limits it to legitimate highlights.
• For skin tones, combine a subtle Soft Glow + a Color Corrector that slightly lowers the saturation of the reds = an instant cinematic look.
• Glow Mask rather than Effect Mask to let the halo spill naturally beyond the subject.
• Gaussian gives the softest results. The other filters rarely look better on this node (unlike Glow, where Hilight / Solarize really have their place).
• Watch the working gamma - in linear (scene-referred), Soft Glow produces very different results than in Rec.709. Check the project color space.